While buying a home can be an exciting milestone, it also brings several responsibilities. In addition to any mortgage payments, you have maintenance, property tax, and additional costs such as HOA fees to think about.
But what about insurance? What types of policies will you need to carry? To clarify if it’s legally required or a good idea to have, we’ll help guide you through the confusion.
Homeowners insurance
While homeowners insurance isn’t legally required, your lender will likely mandate it to protect their financial interest if you have a mortgage. However, it’s highly recommended to get coverage even if it’s not required.
Home insurance can safeguard your property from perils like fire or vandalism, and provide liability protection if someone gets injured on your property. Don’t skip on protecting your valuable investment.
Mortgage lenders
Mortgage lenders typically require homeowners insurance to protect their financial interest in your property. Standard policies usually don’t cover flood damage, so you may need to add flood coverage if your home is in a designated flood plain.
You may also need to purchase earthquake coverage if you live in an earthquake-prone area. These coverages can be sold as endorsements or separate policies. Check for flood maps and insurance requirements for your address.
You may find that there are challenges to finding homeowners insurance in areas that are more susceptible to these types of events. When choosing where to purchase your property, make sure you are able to obtain sufficient coverage for your new home.
Your lender may require you to insure your home up to its rebuilding value, which could differ from the market value. Insurance companies use specialized tools to determine this amount based on your home’s details.
Lender requirements vary, so talk with them and your insurance company to know the needed coverage. A loss payable clause in your policy means that both you and your lender can receive compensation for damages claimed, protecting their stake in your property.
Protections offered
In addition to mortgage lender requirements, homeowners insurance provides financial protection, so you don’t have to bear the full cost of repairing or replacing your home in case of a claim covered by the policy.
A standard home insurance policy includes six areas of financial protection that you can benefit from:
Dwelling coverage in your policy covers your home’s structure in case of damage from covered events like fire, wind, or vandalism. A claim can be filed to potentially help pay for repairs.
Other structures coverage protects structures other than your house, such as a detached garage, shed or fence. It provides financial protection that is a vital part of a comprehensive home insurance policy.
Personal property coverage protects your belongings, covering them up to your policy limits if they get damaged in a covered loss. You may need a policy rider for high-value items such as jewelry or electronics. It is an important aspect of homeowners insurance.
Personal liability coverage is a part of homeowners insurance that protects you if someone is injured on your property and you’re sued to cover their medical expenses. It can also cover damages if someone else’s property is damaged at your home. This coverage is an essential part of homeowners insurance.
Medical payments coverage is often confused with personal liability, but they are different. Medical payments coverage can help pay for medical expenses if someone gets hurt on your property, regardless of who is at fault. This coverage usually has a smaller limit than personal liability coverage, typically ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. It is an important aspect of homeowners insurance.
Additional living expenses coverage, sometimes called loss of use coverage, can help cover the cost of temporary living expenses if your home is damaged and you can’t live in it while repairs are being made. This can include things like hotel costs, restaurant bills, and even transportation costs if you have to commute further while you’re displaced from your home. The coverage typically has limits and requirements, so it’s important to understand the details of your policy.
Additional options
Aside from the six fundamental coverage options mentioned, there are additional endorsements that can be added to your policy to provide added financial protection.
The HO-3, which is the most prevalent type of homeowners policy, provides coverage for your dwelling and other structures on an “open perils” basis, while your belongings are covered on a “named perils” basis, with coverage extended for 16 named perils.
However, even if your home is covered on an open perils basis, most HO-3 policies still have exclusions, such as floods, sinkholes, pests, and others.
Endorsements
Endorsements refer to optional coverage types that can be added to your homeowners insurance policy. These types of endorsements allow for coverage that may not be included in a standard home policy, such as earthquakes or floods.
Other common endorsements include sewer backup and sump pump failure coverage, which can be added as standalone policies or as an add-on to an existing policy. It’s important to note that exclusions like natural disasters may be covered with the addition of an endorsement.
Typically, standard home insurance policies have a predetermined limit for high-value items, such as fine arts and jewelry, which may not be sufficient to cover your most prized possessions.
In order to ensure that your personal property is adequately covered, you may want to consider adding a valuables coverage endorsement or a separate scheduled personal property policy to your home insurance.
These options can be customized to meet your specific personal property needs and provide additional protection for your most valuable items.
It’s important to note that optional endorsements and policy supplements can vary based on the insurance company and state where you reside. In order to determine the best way to customize your policy and ensure you have adequate coverage, it’s recommended that you speak with a licensed insurance agent.
They can provide you with information and guidance on the various coverage options available to you, as well as help you select the endorsements that best meet your specific needs.
Conclusion
In our experience with property law, we have seen firsthand the devastating financial and emotional consequences that can result from unexpected events like natural disasters, fires, and theft. That’s why it’s crucial for homeowners to protect their investment and personal property with a comprehensive home insurance policy.
Home insurance provides peace of mind by offering financial protection and coverage for a variety of risks that could otherwise lead to devastating financial losses. Additionally, certain types of home insurance may also protect you from liability in the event that someone is injured on your property.
Ultimately, investing in a quality home insurance policy is an essential step towards protecting your most valuable asset and providing security for your family’s future.
When you’re searching for a home, location is usually one of the first things you think about. Does this house have easy access to highways and main roads? Is it in or near the best neighborhoods in my area? Is it conveniently located near schools, shopping centers, and other things I might need?
These are some of the questions potential buyers ask themselves when looking at houses. However, there’s so much more to location than just proximity to stores and restaurants. The location of your home has an impact on its resale value, safety, cost of utilities and many other factors.
Let’s discuss some of the general pros and cons of different locations, and why certain locations might be a better fit for you in terms of lifestyle needs and wants.
The value of understanding the location of your home
As home buyers, we’re well aware of how important it is to buy in a good location. What we might not be as aware of is just how much that location will affect its overall value of your investment.
The location of your home will have a significant impact on its resale value. It’s important to know this so that you can buy a home that best suits your needs, while making it appealing to potential buyers if and when it comes time to sell it. If the location you purchase in isn’t ideal for resale, you’re going to be stuck with it for a long time.
Other factors to keep in mind when choosing the location of your home are property taxes, cost of utilities, and homeowner’s insurance. There are several factors that can play a role in this.
For instance, certain municipalities have higher tax rates than others, or areas that do not fall under a city government. It’s important to know if some sort of homestead exemption is available in your potential home’s location as well.
Utility costs can vary greatly from one city to another, and in some cases even by neighborhood. Don’t forget about trash and recycling, cable or satellite, and internet services when thinking of utilities. Typically, the more choices you have in any given area, the better deals you’ll find.
If the location of your home is in an area with a history of weather related events or property crime, it can have a direct effect on what you’ll pay in homeowner’s and possibly flood insurance.
Rural properties
Rural properties are wonderful if you enjoy quiet, peaceful living. If you work in a city, however, it may be difficult to make a commute to work in a rural area.
Rural areas tend to be farther away from main roads, meaning you’re more likely to have longer commutes. Fuel costs will also increase the further you have to travel for work.
It’s also worth noting that rural areas tend to have less options when it comes to grocery and clothing stores, as well as pharmacies. You may have to travel further or pay more for food and basic needs, which will increase your overall cost of living.
Rural properties are also more likely to have less options when it comes to services like internet and waste management. Not only can that cause these services to cost more, but they can also be less reliable, though this of course is not always the case.
Suburban properties
Suburbs often serve as a happy medium between the tranquility and quiet of rural areas, and the hustle and bustle of the big city. While certainly less secluded than country living, the population isn’t as concentrated as in urban areas.
Typically, living in the suburbs means a shorter commute for those who work in the city. This however is not always the case. Even if the distance is shorter, factors like traffic in more popular suburbs can increase the overall time it takes you to get to work.
Suburban areas will have more choices when it comes to things like restaurants and activities than a more rural setting, but perhaps not quite as much as an urban area. In many cases these options will be more family oriented.
Living in the suburbs is all about convenience, which is why they’re so popular amongst families. Reliable utilities, schools, shopping, and shorter commute times are all things that make the suburban lifestyle appealing.
Things like resale value, property taxes, and average cost of homeowners insurance can vary greatly depending on the specific area, so it’s important to do some research. A qualified Realtor will be able to provide all the data you need.
Urban properties
If convenience, activities, and nightlife are important to you, then an urban setting may be your best option. Properties in an urban environment are typically the most expensive. However, they’re also the most likely to increase in value over time.
Cities tend to offer a lot in the way of convenience. Shopping and dining options are plentiful. Public transportation is another big advantage of city living.
There are some disadvantages to living in an urban area however. The overall cost of car ownership is higher. Many factors contribute to this, such as higher insurance rates, and parking.
Conclusion
The location of your home matters because it can significantly affect how you live your life. It all comes down to what kind of lifestyle you want and need. Hopefully this has helped you understand the differences between rural, suburban, and urban environments and which one works best for you.
6 Tips to Help You Choose the Right Real Estate Agent
For most folks, especially those buying their first home or condo, this will be the biggest investment they ever make in their lifetime. It doesn’t matter if you are buying a home or selling your home, the key to success is being able to maximize your investment.
choosing a realtor
One of the most important decisions you can make right out the gate is choosing the right real estate agent. The right Realtor can make all the difference in how fast you sell or buy a house, the price you wind up paying, and how painless the entire process is.These six tips will go a long way in getting you off to a great start.
Working With the Professionals
If you want a job done right, you want to be working with the experts in that field. The same can be said for the real estate market. To start, it is important to understand the difference between a real estate agent and a Realtor. These terms tend to be used interchangeably, so it is common for many people to get them confused. These terms are used to identify real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This means they subscribe to a very strict code of realty ethics that in many cases will, in fact, go above rea state laws.
Experience is Everything in Real Estate
Just as experience in any skilled profession gives that individual an advantage over someone just learning that skill, you want an experienced Realtor working with you when you are buying or selling your home. This is not the time to hire someone who you get along with and are willing to let things slide as they adjust to the learning curve. There are too many things that can go wrong in the home buying and selling process to leave it up to someone lacking experience. The very first question that you should be asking a potential Realtor is how long they have worked in this area and how long they have been licensed.
Interviewing Multiple Local Realtors
Long before you are meeting with Realtors to consider hiring them, you should have already narrowed the search based on their qualifications, experience, and location. Don’t make your decision just yet, have at least four potential candidates that you are still considering, and set up interviews to meet with them and discuss your interest. One of the best ways to get a peek into the inner-workings of any Realtor is to simply show up at one of their open houses and watch how they conduct themselves when under the spotlight. Don’t state your intentions, just act like you’re curious about the house and not ready to make a commitment yet. If they’re very cordial and accommodating, you’ll know right away. If they are too busy on Facebook to show you around, imagine how they will be when you hire them.
Working with a Local Realtor
We use the term local to describe the experience the Realtor has, not so much the fact they live within a certain amount of miles of the area you are looking to buy or sell. The local Realtor is more familiar with the inner workings of the area, more so than a broker who travels the state looking to work as many transactions as possible to support themselves. When you are still interviewing potential Realtors, be sure to ask them about the houses they have listed or sold this year in this area. If you are selling your house, the perfect realtor will be able to easily speak with potential buyers when they have questions about local schools, activities, or growth. On the same hand, if you are buying a home, your realtor should be in the position to provide you with details on taxes, schools, the community, and other facts you might be interested in learning.
Agreeing on Future Expectations
One of the biggest issues that occur between realtors and clients is the tension of not knowing what to expect next when things are slow. For example, your realtor is out looking for properties for you, but only reports in a few times a week when you think they should be following up nightly with information. To eliminate any tension down the line, even before you sign a contract with a realtor, there should be a plan in place that helps you to understand what your realtor is doing even when they are not reporting back every five minutes. Your realtor will advise you on what they will be doing, when they will be checking in, and what is the best way to reach them.
Finding a Personality Match
While choosing a realtor is not like going on a first date, it does have some of the same components that could work in your favor. Depending on the market, this may be a very long relationship you are entering into. Now that you have a small list of potential Realtors, choose someone you get along with, someone your personality connects with. If you trust the person, you like the person, and you already get along, it will go a very long way in ensuring a smooth transaction down the road, however long that may be.As you can see, the right real estate agent can make or break the deal, so it is worth even second you spend at the start researching their qualifications and personality too. Select the right Realtor, and this real estate transaction will go without major incidents and get you where you need to be in the least amount of time.
What Happens When a Buyer Backs Out of a Real Estate Sale?
real estate deal goes bad
However how hard it might sound, not all home selling deals close as expected. In some cases, the sellers cancel the contracts, and in other instances, the buyers willingly walk away. That explains why selling a house is not as simple as compared to most of other selling processes.
There are so many reasons that can lead to the falling through of a house selling process. Buyers are however legally allowed to back out before the house buying deal closes, under certain circumstances. This might occur if the seller fails to comply with the conditions contained in the contract. The other reason that might push a buyer to back out is when they have found another deal that is much better – but they would still need a LEGAL reason to get out of the contract.
A qualified property attorney or some of the best real estate agents are the best people to deal with determining if the buyer has a legal right to back out of a real estate transaction. Just because YOU feel it was wrong for them to back out — doesn’t mean they didn’t have a legal right to do so. In many states, if you fight (and loose) you may be required to pay a portion or all of the buyers court costs.
Determine What Went Wrong
The first step to execute when a buyer has backed out of a deal is finding what might have gone wrong. If the reason that led to the backing out of the buyer was due to your actions when it comes to the management of the property and the needed information, then you can still save the situation by complying. If either the personal or financing status of the buyer led him to back out, then you might be forced to cancel the contract and keep the earnest money deposit of the buyer.
What to do When its Your Fault
If your failure to perform a particular duty that you had agreed to in writing causes the buyer to pull out of the deal, then you still have a chance of saving the situation. If for instance, the contract duty was a repair of the home, then it is still possible to perform it and save the situation. If you are selling a condominium, there are many additional documents you (as the seller) must provide in a timely manor. If you do not – you may be in breach of contract.
Alternatively, you can negotiate on the acceptable amount to the buyers, which you can then offer them as a lieu of the repair work that should be done. Here, both parties; you and the buyer; will come to terms to stop the deal or decide to continue with it.
If by any chance the buyer opts to cancel, they should also enjoy their earnest money deposit as well as other compensation for resources and time consumed in the entire process.
What Happens When it’s the Buyer’s Fault?
The buyer in a typical real estate transaction has so many roles and responsibilities to play particularly when the matters to do with finances are involved. When the buyer’s loan doesn’t come through, or he has lost his job, then he might technically be unable to buy a property. When you have done all that are legally required of you as the seller, and the deal falls through, then the decision to cancel it or renegotiate it to make it possible for the buyer to purchase the house is entirely yours.
That kind of decision will be wholly dependent on the following factors;
· Your motivation to sell the house
· How well the negotiations currently deal fits you
· Whether you can be able to get another buyer that is more qualified.
There are Legal Late-Stage Exits
In a normal process of selling a home, the buyer will make an offer on the seller’s property, and when the seller accepts it, the two will agree to sign a contract. The status of that house will then change from “for sale” to “under contract,” and that would indicate the process of almost closing the deal.
Home purchase or sale can only be complete when all the involved parties have signed the legal documents that are used to transfer the ownership. The contingency clauses written on the buyers’ contracts are the legal ways they can apply to back out of the contract.
Here are some of the most common ones;
the mortgage loan contingency – The buyer will have to secure a mortgage for that particular property.
Cloud on the Title – upon the closing attorney completing a title search, if an issue (or cloud on the title) is found, the sale stops. In most instances, correcting a cloud on the title takes time and will kill the transaction.
The Home Inspection Contingency – Most modern real estate contracts include a period of time for the purchase to complete property inspections. Once the inspections have been completed – the buyer can ask for repairs to be made or a reduction of the cost. At this point, either party can back out of the deal.
The Sale Contingency – The purchase of a home would depend on the buyer who is selling his/her property. This is sometimes referred to as a Predicated Offer or Contingency offer.
The Appraisal Contingency – Most real estate purchase agreements are written so that a home’s price must wither meet or be lower than the official appraisal price. When a deal fails to go through, its either the seller or the buyer had a change of heart. It could also take place when part of the clauses present in the first contract is not met.
The Cost of Backing Out to Sellers
If you have been under contract and the buyer walks out on a deal, then you can lose the following:
The Interest – The moment your property goes under contract, other buyers who might have had an interest may have to look for other similar houses.
The Time– The most hurting bit of a fallen through real estate deal is that sellers will have to start again. This is time-consuming and might affect your plans for buying another property. The money you may end up losing huge funds when the deal fails to succeed.
When a buyer backs out before a deal closes, it is mainly due to the fact that a number of clauses haven’t been met, or the buyer changes his/her mood. The only way a seller can safeguard themselves from fake buyers is to be empowered and informed seller. The seller should be well versed with the contract details and consult a professional real estate agent. It is also equally important to have a real estate agent review the contracts carefully.
Accidents Happen Everyday
Accidents happen all the time and sometimes they can result in people getting hurt. Some of these everyday accidents are considered no-fault. A no-fault accident is when all parties involved accept equal culpability. In these cases everyone accepts that the accident could not have been prevented. On the other hand, some accidents happen as a result of negligence and human error and, if this happens, you have the right to demand recompense from the party at fault. It is at this point that you should start asking the question: Do I need a Personal Injury Attorney?
Why Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
Car accidents are the number one cause of personal injury
If you are the victim of an accident and you have suffered an injury or some sort of damage because of someone else’s actions, you must by law prove it before you can get the compensation you deserve. Filing a claim and getting through the legal proceedings takes time and effort and hiring a qualified Personal Injury Attorney might be the difference between winning your case or losing it.
Here’s how a Personal Injury Attorney can help you:
Making a Claim – Not all claims are winnable due to a variety of legal reasons. You will want to review a personal injury attorneys firm record to see if they take just any case – or stick with cases they can win. An attorney can look at the case from an unbiased perspective and from various angles. Their training and experience allows them to assess the situation and determine if your claim is valid and if you can get any compensation for it. Their unbiased opinion on the case can be vital and can save you both time and money.
Making Your Case with Relevant Evidence and Documentation – It is the job of your Personal Injury Attorney to obtain evidence supporting your case. These will include documents like witness statements, photographs, official police reports, and other relevant documentation. This time of research and exploration is crucial to your case and will allow your attorney to present your side of the story with the supporting evidence needed to win compensation.
Determining Amount of Compensation – Once your personal injury attorney has built your case with the evidence needed to prove how the incident happened and to what level was human error involved, it is time for them to take into account the severity of the financial, physical and psychological damage that you have endured as a result of the accident. They will want to show the court how you were affected by the accident and the depth of the impact it has had on your life. Through this stage your attorney will collect any medical reports, relevant employee records, any hospital bills, repair bills for property damage with supporting photographs and other such documentation. These documents will be how the court determines the total amount of compensation you are due.
These are just a first of the steps that a personal injury attorney will take in order to initiate your claim and finally bring it to court. Suffering a debilitating accident can be extremely difficult and a challenge for both you and your family. Sometimes a personal injury case can be a long process and it may take some time before it’s settled and the claim is awarded. Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney can take a lot of the stress and worry off of your shoulders during an already difficult time. They will have your back and keep you up to date with court times and other details of your case.
Massachusetts Looks To Electronic Signatures for Conveyance of Real Estate
A Path to Electronic Notary Acknowledgements
The next generation of home buyers has descended upon the real estate market, millennials who have grown up in the world of digital commerce are now entering the home ownership market. As this new market continues to grow, the conveyancing industry in Massachusetts is now facing increased pressure to find ways to abandon the paper trail and instead find ways to embrace and utilize safely electronic communications for real estate acknowledgements and closings.
What is the legal standing?
The legal basis for this technological transition that has title companies and other conveyance professionals concerned, has actually been in place since a 2004 ruling that was the cornerstone of the adoption of MGL c.110G, the Massachusetts Uniform Electronic Transactions Act. Since the decision in 2004, registries of deeds in the commonwealth have had to comply with the electronic recording systems. However, some uncertainly still remains, particularly regarding acknowledgements. But real estate is a very litigious business with a lot of money transacting, in many instances, with principles with little understanding of the law. Every aspect of the real estate transaction is ripe for litigious action, from the listing agreement, to the property inspection to the title search to the closing documents.
Last year Richard P. Howard, Jr, a frequent contributor to REBA News, and who has served as register of the Middlesex north district Registry of deeds since 1995, wrote in about electronic acknowledgement statutes in other jurisdictions in “Remote electronic acknowledgments,” published in the March 2017 edition of REBA News. In the article, he explains the reason that registries of deeds throughout Massachusetts should record documents electronically acknowledged outside of Massachusetts, but not record those electronically acknowledgement within Massachusetts. His basis for that opinion was that Massachusetts law requires a notary to affix a stamp to an acknowledgement, and that our law provides no electronic equivalent of that notary stamp. He states:
“With the demand for electronic acknowledgements looming but not yet fully upon us, now is the time to amend our notary statute to accommodate new technological practices. The starting point for such an amendment should be a shared understanding of the purpose of an acknowledgement, particularly with regard to real estate documents.”
Why is the registry so important?
In colonial Massachusetts, the purpose of the registry was to provide the public with a record of who owned what property. This was enacted as a means to curtail under the table or secret sales that created uncertainty in real estate transactions. The purpose of this requirement that a deed was to be acknowledged by a legal entity before recording was set in place to curtail fraud, in the case of a forged signature or an actual signature later denied by its author.
Although these precedents were conceived in the seventeenth century, the rationale for these rules persist today and registries of deeds continue to perform the core function of creating public real estate ownership records, only now they are using new technology to perform the same functions.
The Primary core function of an acknowledgement of deed is to assure the public that the individual who signature is on the document is who he or she says they are. In Massachusetts the task is handled by a notary who personally witnesses this person putting his signature to the document after positively identifying the person through verified documentation. The notary then attests to his role in the verification by signing the acknowledgement, printing his name, the expiration date of his notary commission, and then affixing his notary stamp to the document.
MGLc.222, s.8 requires a notary stamp to include “the notary public’s name exactly as indicated on the commission; the words ‘notary public’ and ‘Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ or ‘Massachusetts’; the expiration date of the commission in the following words: ‘My commission expires _____’; and a facsimile seal of the commonwealth.”
Digital signature are commonly used by real estate agents in the field
Precedent in Electronic Signatures
Electronic acknowledgement statutes have already been adopted in several states although some states have created a duality in the industry by separating the offices with one for regular notaries and another separate office for electronic notaries. Other states are requiring notaries to invest in expensive, sophisticated technology that encrypts the electronic document being acknowledged so it is tamper proof. These practices – a dual commission system and requiring sophisticated software of electronic notaries – exceed anything now required or expected of notaries in Massachusetts, however, the pressure from millennial home buyers is causing them to make the needed changes.
The transition taking place is affecting the registry in many ways. As the number of walk-in customers continues to decrease, and the requests for electronic recording increases the need for recording terminals increases proportionately as does the need to reduce the number of public access computers. A big plus for the move is that it takes the registry less time to process electronically recorded documents than the ones who walk-in, resulting in reduced wait times for recording.
Liability vs Convenience
The growth of electronic recording no doubt increases the registries utility and reliability, but there are still additional features that would improve on the system. For example, now when a customer clicks “send to the registry” for an electronic recording, the document package is immediately sent and the submitter has no ability to recall it in case of an error. The submitter now has to call the registry asking that the package they just transmitted be rejected due to a late-discovered error. A newer system might include a “are you sure” option and even a virtual queue allowing customers to review documents before sending them. While any concerns over electronic documents has not suppressed the growth of electronic recording, real estate professionals agree that providing customers with more detailed information would help ease any lingering concerns.
The future of these technological changes is for the most part in the hands of registry users. As more and more real estate attorneys, lenders, real estate brokers and homeowners migrate to fully electronic closings, the volume of electronic real estate recordings will continue to rise, and the amount of walk-in documents and snail mail deliveries will decline even more.
Changes in Real Estate Law
These changes are coming quickly, We have recently seen a battle in Massachusetts where text messages appear to be binding in a real estate contract. Still there are those in the real estate industry must keep in mind that not everyone who owns real estate has a smart phone, wants a smart phone or is even comfortable with using one for complex financial transactions. So, for those of you who want to “see ink on paper” walk-in recordings, and walk-in customer service, will always be an important part of the mission of the registry of deeds. For the next home buying generation who is pushing us all into the next era of communications, Massachusetts is ready to do business!
What Should I Do After A Car Wreck
Most people will be involved in at least one car wreck in their lives. Fortunately, although there are millions of car accidents in the United States every year, not all of them result in any serious injury. If you have had a car wreck it is very important to know what to do immediately afterwards otherwise you may find yourself facing huge liability issues. Many people assume that the first thing that they should do is call a personal injury attorney. While it is important to do that there are other things that you must do right after the accident happens.
Call the Police
The first is to make sure that you stop. If it is a minor scrape you may be tempted to walk away – after all no one was hurt. This is a crime – the law requires that you stay at the scene and contact the police right away. In addition to that many of the injuries that occur after an accident only manifest after several hours, so you may drive away not knowing whether you have caused someone serious harm.
Secure the Scene
The next thing to do is secure the scene. You should check on the other driver and find out whether or not they are okay. The temptation at this point may be to yell at them and get defensive but this doesn’t solve anything, and it only makes a bad situation worse. Once you find out that they are okay you should call an ambulance – just because you are both standing doesn’t mean that you are injury free. The EMT’s will check you out at the scene to ensure that you don’t have any life threatening injuries.
Document Everything
Once they give you the okay it is time to start documenting the accident. The camera on your mobile phone will do. Take as many photos as possible of the parts of the car that are damaged as well as of the scene itself. Do not get upset if the other driver is doing the same – they are only trying to do the right thing. Ask them to give you their insurance information and contact details and hand them yours too. Avoid conversation – you may say something that can later be used against you.
Get a Police Report Number
Been in a car accident?
By this time the police will most likely have arrived and they will want a report from you. Tell them everything you can remember and do not tell them any lies or assumptions. If your insurance company finds out that your account is doubtable they may refuse to honor your claim. If there are details you do not remember or that are not clear do not hesitate to let the police know – it is understandable after you have been in an accident. The police will ask you questions and your answers will help them open a police report. Get a police report number so that your personal injury attorney can follow up later. If the police ask you whether you are injured you should let them know that you are not sure. As mentioned earlier car accident injuries can take a few hours to manifest, and saying that you are not injured could only cast doubts in case it turns out that you are.
Call your Lawyer
It is now time to call your lawyer. He will advise you on what to do next, which will be to call your insurance company right away. Insurance companies like to know immediately after an accident occurs and your attorney will let you what you should say to them. Your personal injury attorney will also advise you not to talk to anyone else, so if anyone approaches you refer them to him. If there were witnesses to the accident make sure to get their names – they may come in handy later.
See Your Doctor
Next is your doctor – he needs to give you a thorough check-up to make sure that you don’t have any internal injuries. Make sure that you keep all the paperwork related to this visit so that you can draft a claim to the insurance company. If there were any other people with you they should get checked too – they are covered under your policy. Hand this paperwork to your personal injury attorney – he will follow up from there.
